1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a steering column assembly including an anti-rotation device for use on a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle generally includes a steering shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and a support bracket rotatably receiving the steering shaft for rotatably supporting the steering shaft on the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes a stationary mounting structure mounted to a chassis or a dash of the motor vehicle. The support bracket is mounted to the stationary mounting structure.
The steering shaft includes a lower end and an upper end and the steering shaft extends between the lower end and the upper end. The lower end of the steering shaft is coupled to an intermediate shaft of a steering system of the vehicle. A steering wheel is mounted to the upper end of the steering shaft.
The lower end of the steering shaft is keyed in a complimentary configuration to the intermediate shaft of the steering system such that the lower end and the intermediate shaft are meshed with each other when coupled. The upper end of the steering shaft is keyed and the steering wheel is keyed in a complimentary configuration to the upper end such that the upper end and the steering wheel are meshed with each other when the steering wheel is mounted to the upper end.
During assembly of the motor vehicle, the steering column assembly and the stationary mounting structure are mounted to the motor vehicle. The lower end of the steering shaft is coupled with the intermediate shaft and the steering wheel is mounted to the upper end of the steering shaft. Because the lower end of the steering shaft and the intermediate shaft are keyed, an assembly worker must rotate the lower end of the steering shaft and the intermediate shaft relative to each other to mesh the lower end and the intermediate shaft. Because the upper end of the steering shaft and the steering wheel are keyed, the assembly worker must rotate the upper end of the steering shaft and the steering wheel relative to each other to mesh the upper end and the steering wheel.
The need to rotate the lower end and the intermediate shaft relative to each other and the need to rotate the upper end and the steering wheel relative to each other is time consuming. In the mass production of motor vehicles, it is beneficial to reduce the time required to assemble motor vehicles such that labor and energy costs are reduced.
Further, the need to rotate the lower end and the intermediate shaft relative to each other and the need to rotate the upper end and the steering wheel relative to each other lead to repetitive motion by the assembly worker who is tasked with assembling the steering shaft with the intermediate shaft and the steering wheel. Repetitive motion may lead to injury and increased health care costs.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to manufacture a steering column assembly that eliminates the need to rotate the lower end and the intermediate shaft relative to each other and the need to rotate the upper end and the steering wheel relative to each other.